Course description
MA Visual Effects Production (3D)
Master the art of illusion and take your VFX skills to the highest level.
Technology innovation and the increase in digital entertainment consumption have made the visual effects industry one of the fastest growing, with the UK’s sector generating an impressive £1.6bn in 2021 (source BFI).
In your first 18 weeks, common with Advanced 3D for VFX short course students, our industry-active tutors will teach you 3D skills through hands-on intensive training, exploring techniques such as particle movement, hair and fluids. You’ll then work on two large projects, one collaborative to get you used to working in a studio team, the other individual to allow you to add to your portfolio and master your skills. You’ll get feedback on your work from industry pros and regular support from your tutors. They’ve worked on the likes of Fantastic Beasts, Gladiator, Kingsman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2.
Based in London, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to start building your network. Regular talks from guest speakers, our Talent Development Team and Aftercare programme will get you on track to land your dream job.
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Suitability - Who should attend?
Entry requirements
An undergraduate honours degree in art and design, architecture, computing or engineering-related subjects.
Applicants without a degree who have significant industry experience in VFX or related creative subjects will be considered.
Suitable applicants will be asked to submit a creative portfolio.
English Language requirements
If your first language is not English you may need to complete an English language test, such as a Pearson English language test (PTE Academic) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, to demonstrate you have the language skills needed to complete your degree. All our courses are taught in English.
For more information about admission requirements, please visit the institute website.
Training Course Content
Module 1 - 3D Foundation
Week 1: Introduction to Maya
- The user interface
- Introduction to modelling
- Introduction to textures
- Introduction to lighting, shading and rendering
Week 2: Modelling
- NURBS curves and surfaces
- NURBS surfaces to polygons
- Polygonal modelling
- Topological rules
Week 3: Modelling continued
- Polygonal modelling continued
- Organic modelling
- Non-linear modelling
- UV mapping techniques (organic and hard surface)
Week 4: Colour and lighting
- Lighting - traditional cinematographic and photographic techniques
- Colour theory, three point lighting
- Natural lighting
- Indirect lighting techniques
- Image based lighting
- Matching lighting
- Advanced lighting
Week 5: Basic texturing
- Hypershade
- Texturing masterclass
- Image manipulation with Photoshop
- Texture distressing with Photoshop
- Non-destructive texturing workflows
- Camera projection mapping
Week 6: Shading and rendering
- Displacement mapping
- Maya nodes
- Raytracing (reflections, refractions and shadows)
- Shaders
- Material properties and case studies (MIA shaders)
Module 2 - Visual Effects
Week 7: Tracking and integration
- Introduction to cameras
- Camera tracking with 3D equalizer
- Manual tracking techniques
- Advanced matchmoving techniques
- Lens distortion
- Camera lineup
Week 8: Digital sculpting and 3D painting
- Texturing
- Sculpting/detailing
- Import/export workflow
Week 9: Advanced shading and lighting
- AI standard surface material
- Advanced Arnold nodes
- Advanced lighting theory
- Lighting effects
Week 10: Render layers and compositing
- Render layers and passes
- Introduction to compositing
- Compositing with Nuke (CG layers)
- Rotoscoping and keying with Nuke
Week 11: Animation and rigging
- Keyframe animation
- Path animation
- Constraints and rigging
Week 12: Project week
- Presentation
Module 3 - Advanced 3D for Visual Effects
Week 13: Particles and expressions
- Maya rigid bodies
- Constraints
- Introduction to particles
- Rendering particles
- Emitters
- Emission properties
- Fields
- Bullet dynamics
- Expressions and particle expressions
- Basic MEL scripting
Week 14: Houdini fundamentals
- Introduction
- Procedural modelling
- Digital assets
- Mantra
- Dynamics
- Shading
Week 15: Fur and hair
- Fur basics, grooming, lighting and rendering
- Hair basics, simulation and styling
- Different uses of hair
- Dynamic fur
Week 16: Fluids
- 2D/3D containers
- Fluid contents and simulations
- Texturing and rendering fluids
- Fluid caches
- Bifröst
Week 17: Cloth
- Overview of Nucleus
- Introduction to NCloth
- NCloth solving and collisions
- NParticle overview
- Constraints
- Caching Nucleus solvers
Week 18: Project week
- Presentation
Module 4 - Visual Effects Collaborative Project
For this module, you will work on a project as a group, to demonstrate your ability to choose correct techniques and approaches, and to apply them to a specified professional brief.
Module 5 - Visual Effects Production Project
For this module, you will work on a final major project with feedback and guidance from your tutors and industry professionals. It will allow you to showcase your in-depth knowledge of your specialism area, ready for use in a portfolio.
Why choose Escape Studios
Top 6% of Institutions for Graduate Employability -- by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
First Unreal Authorised Training Center in the UK
Expenses
- Tuition fees for on-campus: £17,995 per year
- Tuition fees for live online: £15,450 per year
Continuing Studies
On completion of the course you will graduate with a postgraduate qualification validated by the University of Kent and the technical skills required by the Industry, helping you break into the VFX world and make an impact.
3D artists often start out in junior roles, but can rise to become mid-level and senior role such as 3D generalists and Technical directors. From here the path is open to becoming a VFX supervisor.
Escapees from our 3D VFX courses have gone on to work at companies including: Framestore, DNEG, MPC, Milk VFX, Electric Theatre Collective, Jellyfish Pictures and many more.